Telephone answering and recording devices



May 12, 1959 H. R. VAN DEVENTER ETAL 2,386,640

TELEPHONE ANSWERING AND RECORDING mzvxcss Original Filed June 2. 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. HA RAY R van Dtvnv raw PA 0:. 6. 8411.51. BY

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May 12, 1959 H. R. VAN DEVENTER ETAL TELEPHONE ANSWERING AND RECORDING osvxcss Original Filed June 2. 1948 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. HARRY R. VAN nan/urea PAUL C- BAILEY May 12, 1959 H. R. VAN DEVENTER ET AL 2,886,640

TELEPHONE ANSWERING AND RECORDING DEVICES Original Filed June 2, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS. HARRY R. VAN DEVIANT}; BY PA a. 6'. BA 11.12?

A T TORNE Y y 2, 1959 H. R. VAN DEVENTER ET AL 2,886,640

TELEPHONE ANSWERING AND RECORDING DEVICES Original Filed June 2. 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 F/E/Z BUZZER SIGNAL I93 PICKUP 27 CLOSES SWITCH 4|. RELAY 4 ENERGIZED- START BELL I03 RINGS. RECORDING MOTOR IIO STARTS. CONTACTS I06 & TIMER 56 IN OPERATION. I07 CLOSE. OUTPUT OF AMPLIFIER RELAY 52 ENERGIZED- ISOLATED FROM INPUT, PICKUP 27 DROPS.

AMPLIFIER ON. 'T.O. MOTOR ll5 STARTS. HOOK SWIICH I60 SHORTS.

MID- CYCLE SHIFT STARTS STOP TIMER CONTACTS so," OPEN. E e cf e o REA [*4 DE- ENERGIZED. AMPUFIER OFF. MoToasus Ila OFF. PICKUP 21 Im'unus 1'0 STARTING POINT.

, INVENTORS.

HARRY R. VAN Dan-nun By F1401. C. 8,411.5)"

A T TORNE I LINE RECORDING WARNING CONTACTS 72, 73

H. R. VAN DEVENTER ETAL 2,886,640

TELEPHONE ANSWERING AND RECORDING DEVICES Original Filed June 2. 1948 May 12,1959

7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS. HA Mr R. VAN Dzvsnrzn, BY PAUL C. BAILEY.

ATTORNEY May 12, 1959 H. R. VAN DEVENTER ETAL 2,836,640

TELEPHONE ANSWERING AND macoanmc oavxcas 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed June 2. 1948 May 12, 1959 H. R. VAN DEVENTER ETAL 2,886,640

TELEPHONE ANSWERING AND RECORDING DEVICES '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Original Filed June 2. 1948 INVENTORS. HARRY R. VAN Drvunn-n PAUL can/1.5x BY A TTORNE V Non NMKQQQY 2,886,640 Patented May 12, 1959 TELEPHONE ANSWERING AND RECORDING DEVICES Harry R. Van Deventer, New York, N.Y., and Paul C. Bailey, Ivyland, Pa., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to Frederick E. M. Ballon, New York,

Original application June 2, 1948, Serial No. 30,538, now Patent No. 2,673,241, dated March 23, 1954. Divided and this application August 2, 1952, Serial No. 302,306

Claims. (Cl. 179-45) This invention relates to telephone answering devices which may also be used to record messages received over a telephone line circuit and is of the type using records which may be of any desired type.

This application is a division of the application Serial Number 30,538, filed on June 2, 1948 now Patent No. 2,673,241 dated March 23, 1954.

A record may be made, hereinafter termed a talkout message and will be delivered to the calling party via the telephone line. Then, if desired, the calling party may speak and the incoming speech will be recorded on another record, which the user of the device can play back at will.

A recording device to be used in conjunction with a telephone circuit for the purpose of answering said telephone and recording the received message in the absence of persons in its vicinity, should have many features not common to ordinary recording and playback devices. Said features, to be described, relate not only to the mechanical efficiency of the apparatus, but also to the simplifying of its operation and to the safety of the operator, the apparatus and its appurtenances, keeping in mind the fact that the device will be used principally by persons mechanically and electrically unskilled.

It is further desirable that, despite the compact form the device must assume, repairs, when necessary, be readily accomplished without the necessity of removing the instrument from its installed location or completely disassembling the apparatus to replace a part.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a telephone answering device of compact design, simple mechanical construction, and one which is highly economical to both manufacture and operate, and in which the service and maintenance costs are kept at a minimum.

Another object of the invention is to provide equipment which is immediately capable of being used either as a device for the purpose of automatically answering the telephone, recording a message delivered by the calling party, or recording a two-way telephone conversation, and for providing means for playing back such recorded messages into the telephone line or into an electrical reproducer for the benefit of the operator of the device.

A further object is to provide a device adapted to various supplementary functions such as dictation, to which use any recording and playback instrument might be put.

Still another object of the invention is to provision of means for the operator of the device to make a talk-out message of any type and length he desires, whether it be a message to an individual or a general message covering any call that might be received.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a telephone answering device wherein advantage may be taken of certain of the apparatus embodied in the device to perform additional functions normally considered to be outside the scope of said equipment.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a telephone answering device of simplified and compact construction, all the mechanical and electrical parts of which are mounted upon a chassis of such design as to make every part accessible to either one or the other side of said chassis.

An additional object is to obtain compactness which is aided by the staggered relationship of the two turntables, the smaller of which is half way under and in front of the larger turntable.

A still further object is to provide means whereby, when disc records are used, a single cutter and a single reproducer may be used on both the large and small records.

A further feature resides in the facility with which the operator of the device may pick off any one message on a record containing a plurality of messages and record said message on a smaller record for filing purposes.

Also an object of this invention is to provide means of automatic switching of the motor and audio circuits through a switch operated mechanically by part of the reproducer mechanism.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a telephone answering device which has only two external circuit connections, one being a plug for the supply voltage and the other being the telephone line.

A still further feature is the provision of means for shorting out the input transformer when, under certain conditions hereinafter described, said transformer is not in use. Such transformers in any amplifier, as is well known in the art, are notorious pickup points of stray A.C. field which cause bothersome hum in the output of the amplifier, particularly when the primary circuit of said transformer is open, as is the case in several instances to be described in the present device.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following description wherein, by way of illustration, preferred forms of the invention are disclosed.

It will be obvious that many changes in details of construction and circuit arrangements can be made without, however, departing from the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partially in section of an apparatus embodying the invention to show the placement of certain parts and apparatus hereinafter described;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with cover removed, showing the relative positions of the two turn-tables, the associated arms, and the various controls;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the switching mechanism which is operated by the pickup arm;

Figure 4 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side view of the apparatus used to raise and lower the pickup arm;

Figure 6 is a front view of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view through the rear of the cutter arm showing the mechanism that determines the starting point in cutting a talkout record;

Figure 8 is a detail view of the means used to limit the transverse motion of the cutter arm;

Figure 9 is a side view of the timer mechanism which controls the length of the recording time;

Figure 10 is a top view of the timer disc 58 showing means for operating the line recording signal switch;

Figure 11 is a diagram of the electrical circuits of the timer shown in Figures 9 and 10;

Figure 12 is a diagram of the ringer starting switch;

Figure 13 is a detail view of the switch in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a polar diagram of the answering and recording cycle;

the apparatus shown in Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the wiring and control circuits;

Figure 16 is an alternate schematic diagram of the wiring and control circuits; and

Figure 17 is still another alternate schematic diagram of the wiring and control circuits.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Referring to Figure l, the numeral 20 denotes a. chassis upon which are mounted the principal components of the device. The casing or cabinet of any desired form is designated by the numeral 21. Upon said cabinet is mounted the telephone instrument 23 in a cradle 24 which has two prongs at its rear side which extend up and over the handle of the telephone instrument 23 to prevent the instrument from sliding back when the lid of the cabinet, hinged to the lower part thereof at 21-!) is raised. This cradle may be so hinged and balanced that it is always in a horizontal position with respect to the chassis. The telephone book switch 168 is operated when the handset 23 is removed or replaced in the cradle 24.

While the handset is shown as mounted on the lid of the cabinet, it will be understood that it can be mounted anywhere thereon. Also, if desired, the handset and its associated parts forming the telephone instrument can be assembled as usual and spaced apart from cabinet 21 and connected for operation therewith by the usual flexible telephone cord or any other suitable conductors.

For the sake of illustration, the recorder and reproducer described herein are of the types employing disc records, but it will be understood that any suitable type of recorder and reproducer may be used, for example, those employing wire or tape on which the sound is recorded and from which it is reproduced; the instant invention having to do with the connection and sequential operation of the reproducer, recorder, and the use of the telephone transmitter and receiver therewith and the connection of the foregoing to the telephone line, it is obvious that the type of record employed is immaterial to the invention.

On the chassis 20 is mounted the small turntable 25. Above, and extending partly over said turntable is the large turntable 26 which is used for both recording and playback. By this arrangement, the length of the device is considerably shortened and the instrument made more compact. Also mounted on chassis 20 are the playback arm 27 and the recording arm 28, the playback arm being made in a curved form so that it may fit around the rim 29 of the large table, which is cut away in its forward portion to permit the turntable 25 to fit below the turntable 26 The cabinet contains the amplifier and other parts necessary for the operation of the device and as presently described.

Cyclic control mechanism The playback arm 27 is pivoted on its supporting member 30 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The member 30 is constructed somewhat in the shape of a yoke and is fitted into adjacent holes 31 and 32 inside the pickup toward its rear extremity. Said yoke 30 is supported by a small tube 33 which slides freely in post 34 so that the pickup may be raised to a higher plane, yet retain its elevated horizontal position as is necessary when playing back records from the large turntable as presently described. Said playback arm is held in its raised position by means of a washer 35 which is secured to the lower end of tube 33, and the ball 36 which is spring pressed in a manner similar to many conventional locking devices.

A switch 37 is opened by washer 35 when the tube 33 is properly located at its lowest position.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, fulcrumed beneath and extending through the chassis is a lever 38, the upper portion of which rests against a pad 39 on the side of the playback arm in such a manner as to be swung toward the rear of the device by means of the lateral movement of the playback arm in the record grooves. The lower portion of the lever 38 is terminated in a ball 40 which actuates a suitable switch 41 which is secured to a lever 42 so that its position relative to the ball 40 is adjustable by means of a screw 43 secured to the extremity of said lever, and a knurled disc 44 which is turned up on said screw but held stationary with respect to its horizontal plane by means of pin 45 in block 46, said block being secured to the chassis.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that the further the switch 41 is moved from ball 40, so much further must the playback arm move in the record grooves toward the center of the record in order to actuate said switch. This permits an adjustment of the mid-cycle shift which, referring to Figure 9, must occur at the end of the talkout message and enables said message to be made of any length up to the capacity of the record without the use of any timing means.

As shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6, a roller 47 is secured beneath the playback arm 27 at a point about half way between the two ends thereof. Said roller rides on the upper edge of blade 48 of lever 49. Lever 49 is hinged at its forward end and has a downwardly extending rigid finger S0 at the opposite end which is positioned so as to engage the armature 51 of relay 52. Blade 48 of lever 49 is so constructed that its gradient, with relay 52 de-energized, will be of suificient angle to permit the playback arm, by means of its own weight, to ride down its slope on roller 47. The height of blade 48 is so adjusted that at its lowest point the needle of the playback element is clear of the record 191 on table 25. Blade 48 is held in an upward position due to the tension of spring 53, as shown in Figure 6.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that, when relay 52 is energized as shown in Figure 5, the angle of blade 48 will assume a nearly horizontal position beneath the plane of the roller 47, permitting the needle of the playback element to be lowered to the record 191 and traverse the recording thereon in a normal manner.

A further reference to Figure 6 will show that the playback arm, after rolling down blade 48, comes to rest against screw 54 which is supported in upright 20a, which is secured to the chassis 20. Screw 54 is turned by knob 55 thus providing an adjustment of the starting point where the playback arm is lowered to the record.

Timing mechanism Figure 9 illustrates a suitable timing mechanism. This consists of two plates 56 and 57 spaced by bushings in their four corners and supported on the chassis at any suitable point. On the bottom plate 57, is revolvably supported a disc 58 which is connected by a shaft 59-b (or in any suitable manner) to the driven side of a magnetic clutch 204, the driving side of which is connected to a flexible shaft 59 driven by the gearing 59-a from shaft 89 driven by motor 116.

It will be observed that shaft 89 rotates whenever a record is being made on the large turntable.

As best seen in Figure 15, clutch 204 is only actuated to drive the timer disc 58 via shaft 59 and motor 116 when relay 114 is actuated, closing its contact 137A so that the timer is only effective to control the device when in the Automatic position of switch 117. At other times, for instance when said switch is in Record Two Way position, the large turntable will rotate continuously without the timer being effective.

Timer disc 58 has two pins 60 and 61 evenly spaced circumferentially near its outer edge. Midway between the rim of disc 58 and its hub are two additional pins 62 and 63, a line through which would be at right angles to a similar line through pins 60 and 61. Above the pins are mounted two small angular levers 64 and 65 so situated that each lever is actuated by one set of pins. Levers 64 and 65 are held in position and given tension by means of springs 66 and 67. Over each of the levers and at right angles to the axis of said levers are two pairs of contacts 68 and 69, said two pairs of contacts being wired together in a series connection as shown in Figures 11 and 15.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that when the disc 58 revolves clockwise as in Figure 11, the pins 60, 63, 61, 62 will successively and alternately engage the lower legs 68-0 of levers 64 and 65, thereby cocking these levers against the tension of springs 66 and 67. As the levers are released from the pins, they spring back to normal position, the upper end of each lever striking its associated spring 68 or 69 a sharp blow and opening the contacts associated therewith, which immediately close as the levers are returned to normal.

The circuit, via conductor 129, relay 52 and conductors 122, 123 is opened by the aforesaid operation to control the operation of the device as hereinafter described.

By means of switch 70 one set of the contacts 68, 69, may be short circuited whereupon pins 60, 61, 62 or 63 will, if disc 58 revolves once per minute, give a closed circuit interval of thirty seconds.

By opening switch 70 as shown in Figure 11, both sets of contacts 68, 69 will be in series, giving a closed circuit interval of fifteen seconds.

By other arrangements of pins and controls, other timing intervals can be obtained, the timer being automatically re-set between operations. By short circuiting both sets of contacts 68, 69 the timer becomes inoperative and motor 116 can be operated continuously, dependent upon the manual adjustment of switch 117.

By a simple re-arrangement of the circuits which will be obvious, when switch 70 is set for continuous operation, magnetic clutch 204 may be dispensed with and the flexible drive shaft 59 connected directly to the disc 58 of the timer.

Referring to Figure 10, a bracket 71 mounted on the timer unit carries a pair of normally open contacts 72 and 73, the longer blade 72 of which rests against and is held open by the periphery of the disc 58. Around the circumference of said disc are notches 74 of such depth that when, due to the movement of disc 58, blade 72 falls into such a notch, contacts 72 and 73 close to complete a circuit. This switching circuit is employed to comply with recent Federal Communications Commission requirements providing that telephone recorders must incorporate a warning signal when such recording is being used. By this invention such a signal mechanism is incorporated in and forms part of the complete device instead of being mounted and operated separately therefrom as heretofore.

In Figure 15 it will be seen that contacts 72 and 73 control the operation of a high frequency buzzer 193 which obtains its operating current from one-half of the filament winding of transformer 149 through conductors 203 and 203a.

A condenser 200 is shunted across the contacts of said buzzer to form an oscillatory circuit.

Switch 192 is serially inserted in the current supply lead 203A, said switch being used to manually operate the buzzer as a signal at the finish of the talkout recording as hereinafter described.

Switch 192 is shunted by contacts 72 and 73 previously described as being cam operated by the rotation of the timer disc 58.

Signal current is picked off the buzzer at its stationary contact and fed through a condenser 201 and a resistor 199 to the movable contact 202 of switch 117-0, section Y, by means of conductor 163. From contacts 4 and 5 of this same switch, the signal is led to movable contact 161 on the X side of said switch to the hook switch 168 by conductor 170. From the hook switch, the signal is impressed on the L-2 side of the telephone line circuit by means of conductor 169.

Recording mechanism In Figure 1 is shown the details of the mechanism used to drive the cutter arm 28 across the record so as to cut its grooves at any desired rate, for example, 120 lines per inch. It will be understood that any methods of driving the recording mechanism may be employed.

The recording or cutting arm 28 is swung on a transversely pivoting shoe in a hollow swivel post 76 and carries in its forward end a cutting head 77 mounted in such a manner as to permit limited vertical movement, a mounting well known in the art and requiring no further description.

Pivot shoe 75 is secured to the upper end of a slip-fitting bushing 78 which moves freely with a transverse motion in post 76. Fitted inside bushing 78 'is a hollow tube 79 at the upper extremity of which is secured a disc 80; tube '79 is driven at its lower extremity by worm gear 81.

A screw 82 is set vertically into a block 83 secured to arm 28 somewhat to the rear of the center line of disc 80 so that in lowering the arm on its vertical pivot 84, the end of screw 82 will engage the outer edge of disc 80.

Referring to Figure 8, the shoe 75 overhangs its bearing as shown, and has a downwardly projecting pin 87 located between two stop pins 85 and 86 projecting rearwardly from the post 76. The radial movement of the arm 28 carried by the shoe is thus limited.

Gear 81 is engaged by worm 88, said worm being secured to shaft 89 which extends outwardly to a gear box 90 and is secured to gear '91 therein. Gear 91 is driven by worm 92 mounted on and secured to a shaft 93 which is journalled at both ends of the gear box 90 and which also comprises the center post 94 of the turntable 26 which is driven in any suitable manner by motor 116 which is not shown in Figure 1 but which is located within the cabinet 21 in the usual manner.

In Figure 7 is shown the method by which the starting point of the talkout record, in relation to the center of said record, is determined. A rod 95 which has its lower extremity pointed, is fitted through a hole in the pivot shoe 75. Said rod has a small flange 96 which is so situated under the shoe as to allow the rod to be urged upward no higher than is necessary for the point of said rod to clear the top of rim 29. Rod 95 is hinged at its upper end to another rod 97 in a lateral position across the inside of the cutter arm 28. Rod 97 is hinged to the inside of arm 28 and passes through an opening 99 so that it is allowed a limited vertical movement. Said rod 97 projects outwardly and has a small knob 100 fitted over its outer end. Rod 95 is held in an upward position by means of spring 101. A hole 102 is drilled into the rim 29 at a particular point so that when knob 100 is pushed downward and the cutter arm is moved to the proper position, the point of rod 95 will slip into the hole 102, in this way standardizing the positioning of the talkout records starting point.

Ringer signaling switch In Figures 12-13 it is shown that to a standard telephone ringer 103 is fitted a bracket 104 in such a position as to be located in front and to one side of the clapper rod 105. To said bracket is secured a pair of contacts 106, 107, the longer of which has a projection 108 at right angles to the body of the contact spring 107, said projection being covered by a slip of insulation 109, such as ordinary spaghetti tubing. It will be noted that any movement of the clapper rod toward projection 108 will result in a closing of the two contacts thus completing a circuit. The connections of the ringer and the operation of the contacts will be described in connection with Figure 15. It is obvious that the contacts could be operated by a suitable relay instead of by ringer 103.

Limit switch A reference to Figure 1 will disclose the operation of the limit switch 112 to prevent the operation of the recorder when a record blank is filled.

A rod 110 extending through a hole in rim 29 and chassis 20 is held in an upward position by the button 111 of the microswitch 112. A conical pin 113 engages the rounded top of rod 110, said pin being threaded, for the purpose of adjustment, into the under side of shoe 75. Pro 113 engages rod 110 by reason of the lateral movement of the arm 28 across the record, and in urging said rod downward operates the switch 112. The operatlon of said switch will be described in connection with Figure 15.

Figure 15M0tor control circuits It will be noted from the following description that there are a plurality of circuits to sequentially operate the two relays 52 and 114 and each motor 115 and 116 in their respective employments on difierent positions of the selector switch 117. The selector switch, it will be noted from Figure 15, is a common wafer type switch comprising four wafers designated in Figure 15 as 117 A, B, C, D, respectively each Wafer consisting of two separate circuits of six positions each. The two circuits on each wafer are distinguished in Figure 15 as X and Y.

Referring to Figure 15, it will be seen that from A.C. current supply plug 195 a conductor 118 is connected to a fuse 119 from which leads a conductor 120 to limit switch 112, said switch being normally closed. From said limit switch, a conductor 122 is connected to the timer contacts 68, 69 previously described, from which the circuit continues via conductor 123 to point B on the winding of relay 52.

A conductor 124 connects the line voltage A.C. plug to the on-oti switch 125. From the other side of said switch a conductor 126 runs to contact 106 of the ringer and from its mating contact 107, a conductor 127 connects to the number 1 contact of the X side of section D of switch 117. Terminal A of relay 52 is connected to conductor 127 via conductor 128. Hence it will be seen that with switches 112 and 125 and contacts 68, 69 all closed, the closing of the ringer starting contacts 106 and 107 will energize relay 52 when the device is supplied with current via plug 195. However, as the operation of contacts 106, 107 is momentary, means must be provided to hold relay 52 closed until the end of the automatic cycle to be presently described. Such means include contact D of relay 52 which contact closes down on contact D of said relay, said contact D being connected via conductor 129 to conductor 126, this having the effect of shorting contacts 106 and 107 thus holding the relay in an energized condition.

It will be noted that with relay 52 energized, its contacts C are closed thereby supplying, through conductors 130 and 131, one side of the A.C. current supply conductor 126 to terminal A of motor 115 and terminal A of the winding of relay 114. Terminal B of motor 115 is connected via conductor 132 to one of the normally closed contacts 133 of relay 114. Contact C of said relay is a single pole double throw contact, which is connected to current supply conductor by means of conductor 134. Thus it will be evident that when relay 52 is energized, motor 115 will operate.

Switch 41 of Figure 3 is shown as connected via conductor 135 to conductor 123 so that when the playback arm 27, as previously described, reaches the pre-adjusted point of closure, a junction is made between trunk 123 and point B of relay 114 via conductors 135 and 136.

With relay 114 energized, its contact C will open from contact 133 thereby opening the circuit to the talkout motor 115 and close another circuit at contact 137 via conductor 138 thereby leading from conductor 123 through conductor 134, contact 137, and conductor 138 to terminal A of motor 116. Terminal B of said motor is joined by conductor 139 to trunk 126 so that motor 116 will now be in operation,

The D section of switch 117 is incorporated in the device so that the motors may be controlled manually. It will be noted that a movable contact 140 on the X side of switch 117D is led to the conductor 126 by means of conductor 141. Contact No. 1 of that same side on wafer 142 is connected via conductor 127 to conductor 128 so that it will be evident that turning the selector switch 117 to this position will have the eifect of short circuiting the ringer contacts 106 and 107, thus energizing relay 52 which, in turn, through its contacts C supplies current from conductor 126 to the talkout motor 115.

Motor 116 is used on four positions of the selector switch 117. This switching may be accomplished manually by reason of terminal B of motor 116 being connected via conductor 139 to conductor 126 while the A side thereof may be switched to various positions.

Terminal A of motor 116 is led to the Y side of section D of switch 116 through conductors 138 and 143 and the movable contact 144 of said switch is connected to conductor 123 via conductor 145. It will be noted that positions 1 and 4 this same side of said switch are connected to a small neon light, glow tube or other lamp or signal device 146 which is in series with switch 37, to which is connected a resistor 147 which is connected to trunk 126. Said resistor is of such value as to bring the applied voltage within the range of the neon light or other glow tube device. This light is used to indicate when the playback arm 27 is properly down in its lower position as shown in Figure 1. If the arm is moved out of its operating position relative to the small record, the lamp will be illuminated, warning the user to restore the arm to the lower position.

Figure 15Amplifier and talking circuits A conductor 148 is led from conductor 122 to one side of the primary 121 of transformer 149. Another conductor 150 connects the main conductor 126 to the other side of said transformer, which is used to supply plate and filament voltage to the amplifier.

Any suitable amplifier and power supply may be used; the one illustrated employs a dual triode tube 151A and B as a mixer input tube. A beam power tube 152 is used as the output tube. Rectification of the secondary voltage of transformer 149 is accomplished by means of a small selenium rectifier 153. As the internal functions and circuits of such devices are well known in the art, only the external connections will be described.

The crystal element 154 of the playback arm 27 uses section A of the dual triode input tube 151, the output of said element being controlled by a potentiometer or volume control resistor 155. Section B of tube 151 provides passage for the telephone talking current into the amplifier. It should be noted that the telephone circuits are isolated from the grid of tube 151, by a transformer 156 and that the output level is adjustable by means of volume control resistor 157.

The main input conductor 158 of the amplifier at the B side of the input transformer 156 is connected to positions 5 and 6 on the X side of section B of switch 117 and also to positions 1, 2 and 3 on the X side of switch 117E. It will be noted that the movable contacts of said last switch on both sides of same are grounded to conductor 164, thereby shorting out the primary of transformer 156 on these positions and consequently reducing the possibility of hum pickup in said transformer.

The same result is accomplished during the talkout phase of the automatic cycle on position No. 4 of switch 117 by conductor 158-A which is connected to the normally closed side of contact A of relay 114. When said relay is energized at the end of the talkout message, this contact is broken and the input transformer 156 is in condition to receive talking current from the telephone circuit.

The movable contact 159 of the X side of switch 117B is led to the telephone transmitter 160 and to the movable contact 161 of the X side of switch 117C via conductor 162. Also connected to conductor 162 through the Y side of switch 117C is the conductor 163 from the buzzer circuit hereinafter described.

A terminal of the input transformer 156 is connected to the neutral or ground side of the amplifier current supply through contact A of relay 52.

It should be explained that the term ground as used in this application and in connection with most electronic devices means a common or neutral point with respect to the instrument itself and in no way refers to any external connection, such as earth, water pipe, etc.

Ground conductor 164 is brought to the Y side of switch 117B at positions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. The movable contact 166 of said switch is led to the junction point of the telephone receiver 167 and transmitter 169 via conductcr 165, thus forming a common or ground" circuit between the telephone instrument and the amplifier.

It will be noted that the telephone line L-l, L2 is to be connected to the internal working parts of the device at only three positions of switch 117, Nos. 3, 4 and positions, respectively, although at all times the ringer 103 is in circuit on said line. Accordingly, it will be observed that L-2 of the telephone line is led to the hook switch 168 by conductor 169 and that conductor 170 continues from hook switch 168 to positions 3 and 4 in the Y side of switch 117D.

Position No. 5 of this same switch is connected to conductor 170 through a serially included resistor 171, said resistor being inserted in series with the local telephone transmitter on Record Two Way position of switch 117 to decrease the current applied to said transmitter thereby lowering its output to the same level as that of the incoming signal.

The insertion of resistor 171 into the telephone circuit is efiected by means of movable contact 161 of the the X side of switch 117-C and contact No. 5 of the same switch.

Looking at the X side of switch 117-A, it will be seen that L-l of the telephone line proceeds to positions 3, 4, and 5 of said section A through conductor 172, while movable contact 173 is led to terminal 1 of the telephone induction coil by conductor 174 so that this side of the line is also broken in some of the positions of switch 117 as shown. The principal output lead of the amplifier is shown as conductor 175 which connects through condenser 176 to the plate of the output tube 152. The cutter or recording element 77 is connected at all times to the amplifier through transformer 177.

Output conductor 175 is shown as connected to movable contacts 178 on the Y side of switch 117-A where it makes contact at 1, 2, 3 and 4 positions. At number 2 or playback position, a direct circuit is formed from the output of the amplifier to one side of the telephone receiver 167 through conductor 179, the other side of said receiver being a direct return to ground as previously described. On No. 3 on the Y side of switch 117-A and conductor 180, which is connected to movable contact 173, the output of the amplifier is fed directly into the telephone line circuit via contact 173 on position 3 on the X side of said switch.

Figure 15-Using the telephone transmitter as a microphone for recording In order to use the telephone transmitter 160 as a microphone for the purpose of making a recording, a local source of current must be employed. Said current may be obtained through the voltage drop across resistor 181 which is in series with resistor 182 in the familiar "bleeder" arrangement across the current supply of the amplifier. Additional filtering is supplied by means of a high capacity condenser 183.

It will be seen that conductor 184 is led from the junction of resistors 181 and 182 to the No. 6 position on the Y side of switch 117-B. This is Record Local position, the only position at which such local current supply is used when the device is employed in a common battery telephone system. It will be found that the wiring comprises a simple series circuit such as is used with any carbon microphone. From the movable contact 166 of switch 117B, conductor leads to the transmitter 160, the other side of said transmitter being led to movable contact 159 of switch 117-B and from the No. 6 contact of said switch to terminal B of the input transformer 156. Terminal A of said transformer returns to the ground side of the voltage supply by means of conductor 196, through the Y side of switch 117-E. Thus it will readily be perceived that when a local recording is desired, the selector switch 117, on being turned to No. 6 position, will disconnect the telephone line L-l and output conductor 175, and put the microphone in series with its exciting voltage and input transformer.

Switch 117 being in position No. 5, the operation is exactly the same as described in connection with Record Local" except that the local source of curent for supplying the transmitter 160 is not used, said transmitter receiving its curent via L-l, L2.

It will be observed that with the switch 117 in this position, the recorder input 158 is connected across the telephone line L-1, L2, so that the recorder 77 will record on recording disc 317, speech going in both directions in said telephone line circuit and that motor 116 is in operation as previously described.

F ignre 15-Playback To play either of the records, large or small, switch 117 is turned to position No. 2 which connects the output of the amplifier to the telephone receiver 167. The playback arm 27 is now lowered to the record and, as the circuit to motor 116 has been completed via switch 117- D, the record is moved relative to the playback arm 27 and the recorded speech is reproduced, amplified, and heard in the receiver 167.

Figure 15Piayback over line Switch 117 is turned to position No. 3 and the operation is exactly the same as described in the preceding paragraph, except that the telephone line is connected to the telephone instrument and therefore receives the outgoing speech.

Figure 15Automatic operation, answering the incoming telephone call and recording an incoming message It will be evident to one skilled in the art, if the output of the amplifier is fed into the telephone circuit for the purpose of delivering a message over the telephone line or to play back a message into the telephone receiver, said telephone circuit must be isolated from the B side of tube 151 to which it would normally be connected through transformer 156. This isolation must occur at any and all times that the aforementioned conditions exist, otherwise undesirable feedback of the output of said amplifier to the input of same will result.

Conversely, when the input circuit is being used for recording either *local or line, the output conductor must the disconnected from the telephone circuit. This isolation will be shown as taking place in the following paragraphs.

When the telephone bell 103 rings, closing contacts 106 and 107 thus operating relay 52 as previously described, contacts B of said relay, through conductors and 186, effectively short circuit the telephone hook switch 168, closing the L-2 side of the telephone line into the Y side of switch 117-C through contact No. 4 and movable contact 161 of the X side of this same switch. From said movable contact, a conductor 162 is led to movable contact 159 on the X side of switch 117-B. With movable contact 139 at position No. 4,

11 a conductor 187 is led from said position No. 4 to the A contact on relay 114, which contact is, at this phase of the cycle, open, so that the telephone input, section B tube 151, of the amplifier is isolated from the telephone circuit at point 188 of said contacts A of relay 114.

It will be recalled that the talkout motor 115 has been running for reasons previously described, and driving the playback arm across the record 191 so that the talkout is being played into the amplifier, the output of which, at this time, is being fed through condenser 176, conductor 175, movable contact 178 of the Y side of switch 117A, into contact No. 4 of said section. From said contact No. 4 a conductor 189 is led to the normally closed B contact of relay 114 and from the blade of said contact B through conductor 180 to the movable contact 173 on the X side of switch 117-A. Said movable contact being on No. 4 position, the output of the amplifier is thus fed into the L-l side of the telephone line via conductor 172. The L2 side of the telephone line, as shown previously, has been connected to the ground side of the amplifier circuit.

An examination of the previous paragraph will disclose that while the B input of tube 151 is isolated from the telephone circuit through contacts A on relay 114, the playback element 154 is playing through its own input A of tube 151 into the amplifier and thence into the telephone line L1 via output conductor 175, as previously described, L-Z being grounded at 190, thus providing a direct return for the audio circuit.

Assuming that the talkout message has been finished and switch 41 operated by the arm 27 reaching the end of the message as previously described, thereby energizing relay 114, motor 116 has started and contacts B of relay 114 have opened, which action effectively isolates the output of the amplifier from the input B tube 151 as previously described. Contacts A of said relay have closed, completing the circuit from the telephone line L-l to the input transformer 156 so that any incoming speech on the telephone line is impressed on the grid of the amplifier tube 151, section B, amplified, and expressed into the recording element 77 and cut in the disc 317, the main output conductor 175 being disconnected through contacts B of relay 114.

The shaft 59 of the timer, Figures 9, 10, 11, is coupled to motor 116 by means of an electro-magnetic clutch 204, one conductor 206 of said clutch being connected to trunk 126. Another conductor 205 from said clutch is connected to a contact 137-A on relay 114 so that the timer is operative only when said relay has been energized.

The timer has been set, for example, for a thirty second interval, at the end of which time its contacts 68, 69 open momentarily, opening the circuit through starting relay 52, as previously described. Said relay, in deenergizing, returns the playback arm 27 to its starting position as previously described and also de-energizes relay 114 via contact C of relay 52. Also, in de-energizing, relay 52 opens its contacts A. When said contacts open, the circuit from ground 190, previously opened on this circuit through the Y side of switch 117-E, is broken via conductors and 198, thereby opening the plate voltage supply to the amplifier. This action permits the filaments of the amplifier tubes to continue hot but discontinues the plate current drain. Relay 114, in deenergizing, opens its contacts C, thereby de-energizing both the motor 116 and the magnetic clutch 204.

Figure 15-T0 record the talkout or answering speech A small disc 191, Figure 1, is placed upon the recording turntable 26 and the recording arm 77 is grasped in the left hand and raised slightly so that it is clear of the record and turntable. The small knob 100, at the rear of said arm, is pressed down lightly and the arm is swung slowly to the left until said knob drops down by reason of the point of rod 95 entering hole 102 in rim 29. It will be found that the recorder arm, for reasons previously explained in connection with Figure 7, will be locked in place as long as the knob is held down at this point. The arm is then lowered to the record at a point which will be found to be about hi of an inch from the edge of said record, then knob 100 is released. In this manner, the starting point in recording the talkout message is standardized, permitting the least possible adjustment of knob 55, Figure 6, which controls the point at which the playback arm is lowered to the record, and which will hereinafter be described.

The knob of the selector switch 117 is then turned to Record Local position, at which time the recording turntable moves. The telephone handset is grasped in the left hand and, after a few grooves have been cut, the talkout message is spoken into the transmitter 160. At the end of the talkout message, the buzzer switch 192, Figure 15, is pressed three times in successions of approximately one second each. This action impresses the signal of the high frequency buzzer 193 on the talkout record, designating the end of the talkout message and serving as a signal to the caller to begin speaking when the record is played over the telephone line in answering incoming calls. The selector switch is then turned to the automatic position, stopping the recording turntable and the recording arm is raised and swiveled to the rear of the instrument and there put down on its rest 194, Figure 2.

Figure I5Testing the talkout record It will be obvious that, with talkout messages of various lengths, some provisions must be made to vary the midcycle shift of circuits, which shift is controlled by the movement of the playback arm in the record grooves, as explained in the description of Figure 3.

in testing the talkout record, all audio circuits are identical with those on the Automatic" position of the selector switch, with the single exception that through No. 1 contact on the X side of switch 117-A, the telephone line L-l is opened thereby obviating any disturbance on said line. In the motor control circuits, as before described, No. 1 contact on the X side of switch 117-D short circuits the ringer contacts 106, 107 to energize the starting relay 52.

The record containing the talkout message is placed on the small turntable and the playback arm 27 is down in its normal resting position against screw 54, it being made certain that the indicating light 146, toward the front of the chassis, is not lit, indicating that the arm 27 is in its correct position.

Selector switch 117 is turned to Test" position which action energizes relay 52, lowers the playback arm to the record, and starts motor which moves the small turntable. If the needle of the playback arm falls on the record outside of the first groove, knob 55 is turned clockwise until the needle falls into said first groove. If the needle falls into the body of the message, knob 55 is turned counter-clockwise until, by holding the arm against screw 54, the needle is in its proper position. The talkout message is then played through and may be heard in the telephone receiver 167.

While said message is playing through, a knurled disc 44 at the right of the chassis as shown in Figure 2, is moved slowly toward the operator and in the direction indicated by the inscription Short Talkout, until the turn-table stops. Disc 44 is then moved slowly in the opposite direction indicated by the inscription Long Talkout which action again permits the turntable to revolve. This action is continued until the second buzzer signal is heard. The record is then played again so that any minute adjustments of the starting and ending positions may be made. The record and arm are then left in adjusted position for automatic operation.

Figure -Re-recording At certain times it might become necessary to file a given message for record purposes. In the instant inbulkiness. A message may be picked oil, so to speak, of the large record and impressed on one of the smaller records. This is very easily accomplished as follows: The large record containing the desired message is placed on the large turntable 26 and a small blank record laid directly over top of said large record. The recording arm is then adjusted on the small record as previously described in making the talkout record. The playback arm is then raised in its pivot until it has snapped into place at its highest point in a manner similar to using said arm for ordinary playing back. Said arm is then positioned so that its needle is in the first groove of the desired message and the selector switch is turned to "Playback position. The turntable will move and the message picked up by the playback arm will be expressed through the amplifier to the recorder and impressed on the small record. The fact, previously observed, that both the recording and playback elements are permanently in circuit, makes this possible.

Figure 15Te1ephone dial lamps and filament current supply for amplifier A transformer 149 has a suitable winding 149-A which,

via the conductors XX, Figure 15, supplies suitable current at six volts to the filaments of the tubes 151 and 152, and to dial lamps 207. These lamps are located immediately above the telephone dial 22 and are housed within the cover 2l-A of the cabinet 21 so as to illuminate the dial when the handset 23 is removed from the hook switch 168. The book switch is provided with an extra pair of normally open contacts 168-A for this purpose.

By this arrangement, low voltage lamps may be used to illuminate the telephone dial and the necessity to provide heavy contacts for standard lighting supply voltages is eliminated.

Figure 16Alternate form of circuit Figure 16 shows an alternate form of wiring which may be used in place of the circuit shown in Figure 15. By the arrangement shown in Figure 16, any standard telephone instrument can be used or the usual telephone parts may be incorporated in the cabinet with the recorder and reproducer as described in connection with Figure 15.

The ringer 103 and condenser 103a may be connected across the incoming telephone circuit T-l, T-2 and form part of the telephone instrument as shown in Figure 16, or may be disconnected from the telephone instrument, as shown at XX and connected directly across the telephone line circuit L-l, L4 as shown by the dotted lines. In the latter event, the ringer is never disconnected from the telephone line circuit, regardless of the position of the push button keys hereinafter referred to.

Figure 16 difiers from Figure 15 in that separate amplifiers 296, 297 are used for the recorder and reproducer respectively, said amplifiers being fed by a common power supply 298 connected to the power supply circuit, via conductors 299, 300 that supplies current to motors 115-116. The employment of the two amplifiers somewhat simplifies the circuit switching arrangement.

Figure 16 also discloses a local current supply 219 for the transmitter 160. While a battery is diagrammatically shown, it will be understood that this source of current may be obtained from a tap on the amplifier power supply such as 304 in Figure 17 or possibly through a transformer, rectifier, filter combination of its own.

In Figure 16, the switch keys or push buttons are of the well known interlocking and restoring type, so that when any one button is pushed, it will restore any other button that is in depressed position. As the construcyention it is not necessary to file the complete large disc L with its various non-important messages and attendant tion of such keys is Well known, they will not be described in detail. For the sake of simplicity, the usual telephone dial is omitted from Figure 16.

It will also be noted that the buzzer 193 and its associated circuits for producing a signal at the end of the talk-out recording and as a warning signal for recording on the telephone line as shown in Figure 15, can be applied in a manner that will be obvious to the circuit in Figure 16, but has been omitted for the sake of clarity.

Figure I6The instrument used as a telephone Push button 208 is depressed and the circuit between contacts 211A and 212A is closed by bar 209 and thereby connects the T-l side of the telephone instrument circuit to the L-l side of the telephone line. By means of conductors 211 and 212, similarly the circuit between contacts 213-a and 214-a is closed by means of bar 210, connecting the T-2 side of the telephone instrument circuit to the L-2 side of the telephone line. By means of conductors 213 and 214 the telephone instrument is now used as usual.

Figure 16-Record l0cal--re-rec0rd Push button 215 is depressed and the circuit between contacts 216-a and 217-a is closed by means of bar 218 thereby connecting one side of the local current supply 219 to the T-l side of the telephone instrument circuit by means of conductors 216 and 217. Also, through conductor 220 and contact 220-a, the Y side of the input of the recording amplifier 296 is connected to said T-l side of the telephone instrument circuit. Bar 223 shorts out contacts 221-a and 222-a connecting through conductors 221 and 222 the other side of the local current supply to the T-2 side of the telephone instrument circuit, which same side is connected to the input of the recording amplifier 296 by conductor 224 and contact 224-a. One terminal of the recording motor 116 is connected to one side 225 of the AC. supply line, the other side of said motor leading, via conductor 226 to contact 226-a which is in closed circuit with contact 227-a via bar 228 which leads, via conductor 227 to the supply line, so that when push button 215 is depressed, section B thereof connects the telephone instrument circuit to a local source of current for the transmitter and connects said combination to the input of the recording amplifier 296 and by means of section C, energizes the recording motor 116. The recording element 77 is always in circuit at the output of its amplifier.

It will be seen that, for the purpose of re-recording, the playback element 154 is connected into the recording amplifier via conductor 229 to contact 229-a of section J of push button 239, said contact being normally in closed circuit with contact 230-a which is connected, via conductor 230 to contact 230-b of section I of push button 231. Contact 230-b is normally in closed circuit with contact 232-a by means of bar 240, said contact being connected, via conductor 232, to conductor 220 which leads to the input of the recording amplifier 296. The other side 224 of said amplifier input like the other side of the playback element 154, is connected to a common conductor or ground."

This circuit may be used to record, because the telephone circuit is connected across the input of the recording amplifier, the recording element 77 being always in circuit. This same circuit may be used to record because the playback element is also connected across said input. When one is being used, the other is static, and vice versa.

Figure 16Playback Depressing push button 231 closes the circuit across contacts 233-a and 234-a by means of bar 235 of section D. Conductor 233 leads from trunk T-l of the telephone instrument circuit to contact 233-a; and, from contact 234a a conductor 234 is connected to the Y side of the output of the playback amplifier 297. The

15 other side of said'output is led, via conductor 237, to contact 237-0, which is in closed circuit with contact 236- by means of bar 238 of section D. Contact 236-0 is connected to the T-2 side of the telephone instrument circuit by means of conductor 236.

The playback element 154 of arm 27 is connected, via conductor 229, to contact 229-0 of push button 239, section I, said contact being in closed circuit with contact 230-0 by means of bar 239-0.

From contact 230-0, a conductor 230 is connected to contact 230-b of section 1, push button 231, said contact being in closed circuit with contact 211-0 when push button 231 is depressed by means of bar 240. A conductor 241 is led from contact 241-a to the input of the playback amplifier.

By means of section E of push button 231, the recording motor 116 is energized. One terminal of said motor is connected to conductor 225, which conductor is one side of the A.C. supply line. The other side of said motor is led via conductor 226 and conductor 242 to contact 242-0 of section E of push button 231. Contact 242-0 is in closed circuit with contact 243-0 by means of bar 244 and contact 243-0 is connected, via conductor 243 to A.C. supply conductor 227. Contacts 296A, 242-0, 243-0, are connected by conductors 296, 257 and 259 to contacts 258, 257-0, and 259-0 of section E of push button 251.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when push button 231 is depressed, the telephone instrument is connected across the output of the playback amplifier 297, the receiver 167 of said instrument serving as a sound reproducer; the playback element 154 is connected to the input of the playback amplifier to pick up sound from the record, and the motor used to move said record is energized.

Figure I6-Pl0yback over line Telephone instrument trunk lines T-l and T-2 are led to contacts 246-0 and 249-0 by means of conductors 246 and 249. Contact 246-0 is, by means of bar 245 of section F, in closed circuit with contact 247-0 which is connected to telephone line L-l by conductor 247.

Contact 246-0 is also, through bar 245, in closed circuit with contact 248-0 which is connected to the Y side of the output of the playback amplifier 297 via conductors 248 and 234. From the T-2 side of the telephone instrument trunk line, a conductor 249 is led to contact 249-0 which contact is by means of bar 250 of section F, in closed circuit with contact 252-a, which is connected via conductor 252 to the L-2 side of the telephone line. Contact 249 is also, through bar 250 of section F, in closed circuit with contact 253-0 which is connected, via conductor 253, to the X side of the playback amplifier 297.

It will be noted that conductor 229, which is connected to the playback element 154, is connected, via conductor 254, to contact 254-0, said contact being in closed circuit with contact 255-0 by means of bar 256 of section I of push button 251. Contact 255-0 is connected, via conductor 255, to another conductor 241 which leads to the input of the playback amplifier. The motor 116 is energized by means of section E of push button 251.

The remainder of the circuit of Playback Over Line" is the same as described in connection with the description of Figure 16, Playback."

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that when push button 251 is depressed, motor 116 will be energized, the playback element 154 will be connected into the playback amplifier 297 and the output of said amplifier and the telephone instrument circuit will be shunted across the telephone line L-l and L-2.

Figure I6Record two way When push button 260 is depressed, contact 261-0,

* t which is connected via conductor 261 to telephone line L-l, is in closed circuit by means of bar 262 on section G, with contact 263-0 said contact being connected to one side of resistor 171, via conductor 263. The other 1 side of resistor 171 is connected to the T-l side of the telephone instrument circuit. Contact 261-0 is also in closed circuit via bar 262, with contact 264-0, which is connected via conductors 264, 232 and 220 to the Y side of the input recording amplifier 296. Contact 265-a is connected to the L-2 side of the telephone line via conductor 265 and is in closed circuit via bar 266 of section G, with contact 267-0, said contact being connected, via conductor 267, to the T-2 side of the telephone instrument circuit. Contact 265-a is also in closed circuit via bar 266 of section G, with contact 268-0, said contact being connected by conductors 268, 224 to the X side of input of the recording amplifier 296.

Contact 269-0 is connected via conductor 269 to conductor 227 which is one side of the A.C. supply line. Said contact 269-0 is in closed circuit by means of bar 270 with contact 271-0, which is connected, via conductors 271 and 226, to one terminal of the motor 116, the other terminal of said motor being connected to the other side 225 of the A.C. supply line.

It will be seen, from the foregoing description, that when push button 260 is depressed, motor 116 will be energized, the input of the recording amplifier 296 and the telephone instrument circuit T-l, T-2, will be shunted across the telephone line L-l and L-2, said telephone instrument circuit having a serially included resistor 171 for the purpose of decreasing the output of the transmitter so that same will record at approximately the same level as the incoming message.

Figure 16Automatic operation Depressing push button 272 simply shunts a relay 273 with a serially connected condenser 274 across the telephone line L-1 and L-2. This is accomplished by means of line L-1 being connected to contact 276 and line L-2 being connected to contact 275.

By means of bar 277 of section H, contact 275 is in closed circuit with contact 278-0, said contact being connected, via conductor 278, to terminal X of the line relay 273, terminal Y of said relay being connected to one side of a suitable condenser 274. Contact 276 is in closed circuit, by means of bar 279, with contact 280-0 which is connected, via conductor 280, to the spring contact D of relay 281, said contact D being normally in closed circuit with its associated contact C which is connected, via conductor 282, to the condenser 274.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the relay 273 and condenser 274 are in series across the telephone line, so that, when ringing current is applied to said line, relay 273 will be energized closing its contacts A and B. Contact B of said relay is connected to conductor 227 which is one side of the A.C. supply line. Contact A of the same relay is led, via conductor 284, to the pole 283-0 of switch 283, said switch being operated by the movement of the playback arm 27 in the record grooves as previously described. Contact A of relay 273 is also con nected to terminal X of relay 281 by conductor 285, terminal Y of said relay 281 being connected at all times to conductor 225, one side of the A.C. supply line. Thus it will be obvious that when relay 273 is energized by the ringing current, relay 281, by means of contacts A and B of relays 273 will also be energized and, as the closure of the A and B contacts on relay 273 is only momentary, relay 281 must be held in energized condition by means of its spring contact F, which is connected, via conductor 286 to the timer contact spring 287 which is in normally closed relationship with its associated contact 288, said contact being connected to conductor 227, one side of the A.C. supply line. Contact G of relay 281 is connected to terminal X of said relay, so that when relay 281 is momentarily energized, its

17 contacts F and G close, thus connecting the X side of the relay 281 to the 227 side of the AC. supply.

From contact 283-!) of switch 283, a conductor 289 is led to the talkout motor 115, the other side of said motor being connected to the 225 side of the A.C. supply The playback element 154 is connected into the playback amplifier 297 through conductor 229, contact 290, bar 291, contact 292, and conductor 241. The Y side of the output of said amplifier is connected, via conductor 248 to contact D of relay 293, said contact being normally closed with contact E of the same relay. Said contact E is connected to contact E of relay 281, said contact E of 281 during the talkout message being in closed circuit with contact spring D of relay 281, said contact being connected, via conductor 280, contacts 280-a, and 276 to the L-l side of the telephone line. Similarly, the X side of the playback arnplifiers output is connected, via conductors 237 and 253 to contact A of relay 293, said contact being normally closed with contact B of the same relay. Contact B is connected, via conductor 295 to contact B of relay 281 which is normally closed with contact A of the same relay, said contact being connected to the L2 side of the telephone line.

When the talkout message is finished, arm 27 moves contact spring 283-a into closed circuit with contact 283-c, breaking contact 283-b and tie-energizing the talkout motor 115. Said action applies current to the X side of relay 293 via conductor 296, the Y side of said relay being connected to the 225 side of the AC. supply line, energizing said relay, which through its contacts B and C, E and F, put the input of the recording amplifier 296 across the telephone line L-l and L-2. Also, in closing contacts 283-01 and 283-0, current is applied to the recording motor 116 and the timer motor 294 via closed contacts 244 and 242-a of push button 231.

At the end of the recording period, the length of which is determined by the setting of a timer described, the timer contacts 287 and 288 open momentarily, thus deenergizing relay 281 which, through its contacts F and G, de-energizes relay 293. As the playback arm 27 is raised and lowered in its relation to the talkout record by the operation of relay 281, the de-energizing of relay 281 will return said playback arm to its starting position, thereby closing contacts 283-A and B and placing motor 116 in circuit, ready to start upon the operation of relays 273 and 281.

The timer is of a well known variety having a motor 294 which drives a cam or disc 294-a at some predetermined rate, for example at one r.p.m. This cam or disc may be set in relation to its starting point to momentarily open contacts 287 and 288 at any point in its revolution, say after thirty seconds and, as this breaks the circuit to the motor 294, the disc automatically returns to its starting point so that the timer is reset after each operation.

Fig. 16--Testing the talkout record The operation of the circuit when push button 239 is depressed is identical with Automatic; with the exception that through section K, relay 273 is energized, thus starting the cycle of operations. By means of section L, the telephone instrument is connected into the circuit so that the talkout message may be heard in the receiver 167 thereof.

A repeating coil 301 may have its A winding connected to conductors 295-29511 and its B winding connected to the B and E contacts of relay 291, thereby inserting the coil or any other suitable coupling arrangement in the circuit as shown. By this arrangement any direct connection between the telephone line and the other component parts of the system is avoided, as more fully described in connection with Fig. 17.

Fig. 17--Alternate form of circuit Fig. 17 shows an alternate form of wiring which may be used in place of circuits shown in Figures 15 and 16.

In Figure 17 it will be understood that a standard telephone handset and other parts such as the transmitter and receiver may be employed. The ringer 103 is equipped with contacts 106 and 107 as described in connection with Figure 15. A repeating coil 301 is arranged for connection between the telephone line circuit L-l, L-2, the telephone hand-set and other parts. If desired, the ringer 103 and condenser 103A can be connected across winding B of coil 301 instead of as shown. A single amplifier 302 is employed, to which the reproducer 154 and the recording head 77 are connected as described in connection with Figure 15.

The buzzer circuit generally indicated at 303 is the same as that shown in Figure 15 and produces the signal to be recorded on the talkout record as previously described and may also, via contacts 72 and 73 on the timer 194 produce the warning signal to be recorded along with incoming messages received via the telephone line circuit.

Further details not hereinafter described are substantially as shown in the preceding figures, so that the wiring of Figure 17 is not described in detail as it is believed that this will be readily understood from the following description of the circuit.

Fig. 17-Recording locally using the telephone as a microphone The switches 117-A, B and C having a common handle and being on position No. 6, the telephone line circuit L-1, L-2, is open through winding A of coil 301 at contact 6 of switch 117-A, so that the telephone line circuit is not afiected while the telephone transmitter is in use for recording locally.

The transmitter is supplied with current via a suitable source connected to conductors 304. This may be a tap from the amplifier current supply of amplifier 302.

Recording motor 116 is energized via contact 6 of switch 117C and the translating device or cutter 77 is energized as previously described and is connected to the output 177 of the amplifier.

The amplifier input 153 is connected via contact 6 in switch 117-B and contact 166 therein via conductor 165-a to induction coil winding 305 and to transmitter through current supply 304 to conductors 306 and 196 to common circuit C of amplifier 302. Thus the telephone transmitter is connected to the input of amplifier 302 and the cutter 77 to the output thereof and will record sound spoken into the transmitter on the record operated by the motor 116.

Figure 17Pla vback and re-record using the receiver of the telephone instrument The switches 117-A, B and C having a common handle and being on position No. 2, the telephone line circut is open through winding A of coil 301 at contact 2 of 117-A so that the telephone line circuit is not atfected while the telephone receiver is in use for playback.

Recording motor 116 on the turntable of which lies the record which is to be played back, is energized via contact 2 of switch 117-0 and the translating device or playback arm 154 is energized as previously described and is connected to the A input of amplifier 302.

The amplifier output 175 is connected via contact 2 in switch 117-13 and contact 166 therein, via conductor -11, to induction coil winding 305 and to receiver 167 and, via the induction coil winding 307 and condenser 308 to conductors 306 and 196 to the common circuit C of the amplifier 302. Thus the telephone receiver is connected to the output of amplifier 302 and the translating device at playback element 154 to the A input thereof and sounds produced by the playback element will be 75 heard in the telephone receiver 167.

Figure 17Playback over line The switches 117A, B and C having a common handle and being on position No. 3, the telephone line circut is connected in series with winding A of coil 301, the telephone handset being d the hook switch 168 and all of the contacts, including those indicated at 307, being closed.

Switches 117B and 1170, being in position 3 which is cross connected to position 2, the operation of these switches, the amplifier 302, recording motor 116 and reproducer 154 is the same as previously described except that, in position 3, the telephone line circuit is connected so that a party at a distant station may hear the playback L-l, 2.

Figure 1 7A aromatic The switches 117A, B and C, having a common handle and being on position No. 4, the telephone line circuit is completed through winding A of coil 301 to the normally open contacts 307 of the hook switch 168 on which the telephone handset rests, said hook switch contacts remaining open during automatic operation.

In multiple with contacts 307 are the normally open contacts 308 of relay 52A which, when closed, complete the telephone line circuit through winding A of coil 301 thereby extinguishing the supervisory lamp at the exchange or operating an automatic system to hold the connection between the calling and this called line.

Upon the telephone ringer 103 being operated in the usual way, contacts 106 and 107 thereof close the 110 volt support circuit in a manner that will be obvious, through the winding of relay 52-A which closes all of its contacts.

The contacts 308 close the telephone line circuit as just described.

Contacts 309 close a circuit, including winding B of repeating coil 301. Thus, via conductor 165-A, position 4 of switch 117-B, conductors 175, 306 and 196 connect the B output of amplifier 302 to the telephone line circuit, the same being inductively coupled thereto via the repeating coil 301.

When relay 52-A closes, its locking contacts 310 lock the relay across the 110 volt current supply through the normally closed contacts 68 and 69, said contacts being in their closed circuit position and the timer not yet being in operation.

Contacts 311 in relay 52-A also close, placing the talkout motor 115 across the 110 volt supply line in series with the contacts 312 of the mid-cycle relay 1I4-A and said motor begins to operate to move the record, actuating the playback and the recorded message is delivered to the calling party over the telephone circuit L-l, L-Z.

It will be understood that when the starting relay 52-A operates, it permits the playback arm 27 to come into translating relationship with its associated record and that the operation of relay 32-A and the motor 115 is practically simultaneous.

When the delivery of the recorded message has been completed, the playback arm said relay operates, breaking its contacts 312, thereby stopping the operation of the reproducer motor 115. This relay also closes its holding contacts 313 thereby locking itself across the 110 volt supply circuit independently of switch 41. The relay 1l4-A also closes a contact 314 thereby placing the recording motor 116 across the 110 volt supply circuit and, as switch 116A is also connected to this contact and is in position 4, the timer 194 which may be of the motor driven type shown at arm 27 as previously described 1 20 295, Fig. 17 and described in connection therewith, begins to operate.

Relay 114-A also operates its contacts 315 to disconnect the output 175 from the conductor 165-A leading to the repeating coil 301 and to connect said conductor 165A to input B (transformer 156) of the amplifier via conductor 158. The result is that any incoming speech on the telephone line circuit L-l, L-2 will pass into the amplifier and will be recorded by the cutter 77 on the record operated by motor 116.

The recording will continue for the period set by the timer 194. When the end of this period is reached, the timer momentarily opens its contacts 68, 69, and relays 52A and 114A are restored to normal, awaiting the next incoming call, whereupon the above cycle of first answering the calling party and then recording his message, will be repeated.

It will be observed that in any of the circuits shown in this application, if desired, the telephone answering feature only may be used, and the use of the recording motor 116 together with its associated equipment may be dispensed with, or the cutter arm 28 may be swung back to its rest and not used.

Figure 17-Testing and talkout record The switch 117-A, B and C, having a common handle and being on position No. 1, the telephone line circuit through repeating coil 301 is open as previously described.

The amplifier output circuit 175 is connected to the telephone receiver 167 as previously described. Switch 117-C which controls the timer, is open.

It now push button 316 is pressed, it will place the starting relay 52A across the volt supply line and said relay will, as previously described, place the motor in operation. The playback arm 27 will be moved in relation to the record and the recording will be heard in the receiver 167, as fully described under the heading Automatic, Figure 17. Relay 1l4-A will be operated by switch 41 at the end of the recording.

By repeatedly setting the arm 27 and adjusting the disc 44 and screw 54, as previously described, the arm can be properly set to start and terminate a reproduction at the proper time.

Figure 17-Rec0rd two-way This operation is performed with the switches 117-A and C in position No. 5 and the operation is exactly the same as explained in connection with Recording Locally," Figure 17 previously described, except that switch 117-A connects the A winding of the repeating coil 301 across the telephone line circuit L-l, L-2, the handset being off the hook switch 168 and all of the hook switch contacts including 307 being closed.

The result is that the recorder to the instrument with which receives, via repeating coil 301 the incoming speech over the telephone circuit L-l and L-2 so that a record may be made of a speech passing over L-l, L-2, in both directions.

It will be observed by those skilled in the art that repeating coil 301 constitutes a coupling means between the telephone instrument circuit and its associated line L1, L-2 and that instead of this coil, any other coupling means such, for example as condensers, can be used, in which case contacts 307 and 308 would be so arranged as to complete a direct current path across the line circuit L4 and L-2 and including a suitable limiting resistance if desired.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that the telephone instrument is so combined with its associated phonograph that the telephone transmitter and receiver are used for recording and reproducing speech in connection with said phonograph, thereby eliminating the usual recording microphone and speaker ordinarily used.

This not only lessens the cost of the complete telephone is not only connected it is associated, but also 21 answering and recording device, but also makes it more compact so that the user has in one cabinet not only the usual telephone instrument but also the apparatus for answering the incoming telephone calls and taking messages received via the telephone line circuit.

As pointed out herein, in some instances, the telephone instrument complete with ringer, is connected to the circuits of the complete device and in other instances the ringer or an equivalent relay responsive to ringing current may be spaced apart from the telephone instrument at all times regardless of the positions of the selector switch 117.

It will also be obvious that while in the embodiment of the invention described in connection with Figures 1 and 2 the telephone instrument is incorporated in and has its parts mounted on the chassis within the cabinet, that said telephone instrument could be of the usual variety and mounted on the side of the cabinet or upon the lid thereof and connected to its associated phonograph equipment by means of the usual two conductor cord in common use.

All such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telephone answering and recording device having instrumentalities and the necessary circuit connections thereto including a power circuit for performing a talkout message recording function; a talk-out message test function; an automatic answering and recording function, and a message play-back function; in combination, a plurality of individual switching means adapted to control said functions, and manually operable common means controlling all said switching means.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said common means comprises a knob mounted for manual operation and having a shaft connected thereto for operating said selective combinations of said switching means.

3. In a telephone answering and recording device having instrumentalities and the necessary circuit connections thereto including a power circuit for performing a talk-out message recording function; a talk-out message test function, an automatic answering and recording function, and a message play-back function; a cabinet within and upon which said instrumentalities are mounted in operative relationship; a plurality of switching means within said cabinet adapted to be associated in pre-determined selective combinations to control said functions; a common means mounted externally on a wall of said cabinet to selectively associate said switching means in said pre-determined combinations; and a switch in said power circuit mounted adjacent said common means for conjoint operation to control said power circuit and thereby control the functioning of said device.

4. in" a telephone answering and recording device in eluding a recording medium adapted to receive a talkout message and to reproduce said talk-out message forming a sound track in a talk-out cycle, and a second re cording medium adapted to receive an incoming message in a recording cycle subsequent to said talk-out cycle; in combination, a motor for moving said first recording medium; a pick-up arm pivotally mounted adjacent said first recording medium and adapted to be moved thereover by engagement with the sound track thereon; means operated by the conjoint action of said pick-up and said sound track for initiating said incoming message recording cycle and starting the operation of a recording phonograph including a motor; and a timer mechanism having contacts serially in circuit with said last motor and a source of power for determining the length of said incoming message recording cycle.

5. In a telephone answering and recording device having instrumentalities and the necessary circuit connections thereto including a power circuit for performing a talk-out message recording function; a talk-out message test function; an automatic answering and recording function, and a message play-back function; in combination, a plurality of individual switching means adapted to control said functions; manually operable common means controlling all said individual switching means; means for electrically producing a signal tone; and means for electrically connecting said signal tone to said device during the recording function.

6. In a telephone answering and recording device having instrumentalities and the necessary circuit connections thereto including a power circuit for performing an automatic answering and recording function, and a message play-back function; a cabinet within and upon which said instrumentalities are mounted in operative relationship, a plurality of individual switching means within said cabinet adapted to control said functions; a manually operable common means mounted externally on a wall of said cabinet to operate said individual switching means; a switch in said power circuit mounted adjacent said common means for conjoint operation to control said power circuit and thereby control the functioning of said device.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 6, including a manually operable volume control device for controlling said telephone answering and recording device during the message play-back function mounted on a wall of said cabinet adjacent said switch means.

8. In a telephone answering and recording device, a sound record having a sound track thereon; a motor for rotating said record; a play-back arm pivotally mounted adjacent said record to move both horizontally and vertically thereover; said arm having at its outer end a reproducer adapted to engage said sound track to reproduce sound recorded therein, said track also serving to move said reproducer and arm across said record while in engagement therewith; means operated by said motor for lowering said arm from a normally inoperative position above said record to permit said reproducer carried thereby to engage said sound track and traverse said record; a recording phonograph having a motor; a power circuit including a source of current connected to both said motors; switch means in said power circuit for controlling said recording motor, said switch means being operable by the conjoint action of said sound record and said reproducer and pick-up arm at any predetermined point in the traverse travel of said arm across said record; and means for lifting said arm from said sound record and moving same to an inoperative off-record position upon operation of said switch means.

9. In a telephone answering and recording device, a framework forming a chassis; a sound record turntable adapted to carry a sound record revolvably supported on said framework; a motor for rotating said turntable supported on said framework and mounted below said turntable; a play-back arm supported on said framework to move vertically and horizontally relative thereto and above said turntable, said arm having at its outer end a reproducer pick-up adapted to engage a record on said turntable to thereby move said arm over said record towards the center thereof; starting means mounted on said framework including a starting relay having normally open contacts; a first means including a circuit serially including said starting contacts, a source of power and said motor and whereby upon energization of said starting relay said motor will operate to move said record; a second means including contacts cooperating to close a circuit through said motor whereby the latter will continue to operate independently of the contacts in said starting relay, a recording phonograph including a motor; and a third means mounted on said framework and controlled by the conjoint operation of said reproducer and the record engaged thereby for starting the motor of said recording phonograph at a point in the horizontal travel of said arm.

23 10. The combination as claimed in claim 9, including a timer controlled by the operation of said last means, said timer having contacts serially included in circuit with said recording motor whereby said motor is stopped by the opening of said last contacts. 5

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 24 Lewis Feb. 12, 1935 Fairbanks May 18, 1937 Thompson May 5, 1942 Souhup et a1 May 26, 1942 Shively et al. May 1, 1945 Dimmer June 26, 1945 Handschin Aug. 22, 1950 Handschin Ian. 9, 1951 Ellsworth Mar. 17, 1953 Abrarnson Mar. 1, 1955 

